IN THE first two chapters of his AFL career, Greg Williams couldn’t have cared if he’d worn No. 99 on his back such was his preoccupation with proving the doubters wrong.

So when Geelong gave him a chance in 1984 he happily accepted No. 11, unaware the jumper held special significance given it was worn by the great Bernie Smith during the club’s halcyon years between 1950-56.

Just two seasons later he was part of the historic recruiting extravaganza by Sydney Swans owner Dr Geoffrey Edelsten, yet once again wasn’t too fussed when handed the No.2.

But he started to warm to the number after winning the 1986 Brownlow Medal, meaning he joined an exclusive club consisting of Roy Wright, Fred Goldsmith, Noel Teasdale and Ian Stewart to have worn No. 2 in a Brownlow-winning season.

“I had worn six at Golden Square but numbers didn’t worry me until I went to Carlton in 1992 when I actually asked for two. Dominic Fotia had it the year before but he got the sack so it became available,” recalls Williams, now 50.

“I have a heap of jumpers, something like 30 or so, going right back to Golden Square. I didn’t set out to collect them, it just happened. I even have a couple of state jumpers from South Australia and Western Australia, back in the days when you swapped at the end of games.”

One of his Croweater jumpers came from South Australian centreman Garry McIntosh, a bearded Norwood legend who could have got a part as an extra in the cult movie Deliverance had his football career not been so successful.

McIntosh and Williams was a clash that was always destined for bloodshed, as Williams well recalls: “He came at me like a bull. I think it was the game when they made me Victorian captain and I had No.1.

“We punched on and he lost one of his front teeth. Six years ago I was standing by the bar on a golf trip when this bloke, who looked like he had come down from the mountains, walked up and put a dental plate containing one false tooth on the bar.

“He said, ‘You owe me a beer’. It was McIntosh. He was a real gentleman. I think the jumper he gave me still has his blood on it from that fight we had.”

Williams became a Carlton supporter when his family moved to Bendigo, but as a young lad was influenced by his father to follow Essendon where he admired the work of No. 1 (Neville Fields) 10 (Alan Noonan) 25 (Graham Moss) and the “bloke with the goggles” (Geoff Blethyn in No. 7).

Of course, Williams wasn’t the first great player to be recruited from the Bendigo league and conquer the AFL in No. 2 — Graham Arthur of Sandhurst playing 232 matches for Hawthorn between 1955-68.

photo galleryFive greatest No.2s

Melbourne champion Robbie Flower in full flight in 1984.1 of 10

Michael Tuck consoles Robert Flower after the 1987 preliminary final.2 of 10

John Nicholls takes a great mark over the pack in the 1970 Grand Final.

Graham Farmer flies against John Nicholls.

Richmond champion Roy Wright.

The famous jumper worn by dual Brownlow medallist Roy Wright.

South Melbourne’s Herb Matthews on the burst.

Herb Matthews prepares for a State-of-Origin game in the 1940s.

1 of 10

Arthur established No. 2 as a number of significance at the club, one that would later be worn by premiership players in Bob Keddie, Geoff Ablett, Chris Mew and more recently Jarryd Roughead.

“I know at Hawthorn everyone talks about 23 and for good reason, but two has been OK when you consider five of us have 11 premierships between us and almost 1000 games,” says Arthur, 78.

“Even when I was playing I would take notice of who was wearing it with ‘Big Nick’ (John Nicholls) the obvious standout. Kevin Murray is another who wore it for a while.

“I still have the jumper but it’s on loan to Hawthorn’s Legends Museum with others worn by players such as John Kennedy, Peter Hudson, David Parkin and Leigh Matthews.

“I actually didn’t wear the number all my career. The club wanted me to just coach in 1965 and gave two to John Tickell. Then I started playing again and 28 was what was available. I returned to No. 2 for my last few years.”

Some more notable No. 2s.Source:Herald Sun

When Arthur’s career was well finished and Williams’ was winding down the No. 2 started to come to prominence with the ill-fated Fitzroy Football Club on the back of a dashing back pocket named Chris Johnson.

“Matty Dundas had left so two became available but I wasn’t even thinking about numbers. Then you get a number and you become aware of who else is wearing it, such as Greg Williams, Wayne Schwass and Andrew Jarman. And I knew that Robbie Flower had worn it,” Johnson says.

“I wore two at both Fitzroy and Brisbane but unfortunately lost a couple of my Fitzroy jumpers in a fire. But I still have one somewhere, plus my Brisbane premiership jumpers. I have three young boys who like their footy but if they ended up with the Lions I think they would be more into making their own numbers than wearing mine.”

Greatest No.2s

The No. 2 in AFL history was worn by a pair of champions in Ian Stewart and Bernie Quinlan, although both are better known for other numbers. Stewart wore five at St Kilda in his Brownlow-medal winning seasons of 1965-66 before moving to Richmond and winning a third medal in two.

Quinlan wore No. 2 in the first part of his career at Footscray before becoming an even better player when wearing five at Fitzroy.

Many remember Collingwood ruckman Len Thompson as a great No. 2 — the number he wore for five years after wearing 28 for his first seven seasons. But in 1972, the year he won the Brownlow, Thompson wore No. 3 for the only year in his career.